Only
thirteen years old, Joey Alexander has already been nominated for two Grammys
andwas profiled on CBS' 60 Minutes. This young phenom is setting
the jazz world on fire.

An
extraordinary and uniquely gifted pianist from Bali, Joey Alexander marked his
recording debut with the release of My
Favorite Things, nominated for Best Instrumental Jazz Album at the 2016
Grammy Awards. Joey brings a delicate, profound and soulful touch to his own
interpretation of such classics as “My Favorite Things,” “Giant Steps” and “Over
the Rainbow,” and showcases his talents as an arranger, composer and
bandleader. His recording of “Giant Steps” earned a 2016 Grammy nomination for
Best Improvised Jazz Solo.

Through
festival appearances and awards for his improvisational brilliance, the world
has taken notice of this exciting pianist with the astonishing technique and
soulful sound.

His
highly-anticipated sophomore album Countdown
is set for release in September 16, 2016 on Motema Music.

“Sometimes, when I’m just practicing, playing something else, new
melodic and rhythmic ideas come to me and I realize I’m actually starting to
compose a song,” the pianist says. “I think writing strong tunes comes from
listening to so much music from composers and artists I like. I would say that
Monk has had the greatest influence on me. Hearing his pieces so many times had
a great impact on me and inspired me to write my own pieces. I actually find it
harder to interpret other people’s songs than write my own, because I have to
figure out and feel what the song is about and find a way to make it my
own.”

“I love both creating music in the studio and performing for
people onstage,” he says, “but I have to admit there’s something special about getting
a crowd excited by playing jazz live. In most situations, I try to be calm, but
I love the intense energy that happens between me and the audience. When they
express their appreciation in this way, I am inspired to go deeper as a person
and musician, improve my craft and create exciting new sounds.”

Born
on June 25, 2003 on the island of Bali, pianist Joey Alexander originally
learned about jazz from his dad, who exposed his son to a variety of classic
albums from his extensive collection. At the age of six, Joey began teaching
himself to play piano using a mini electronic keyboard given to him by his
father. He was immediately able to pick out the melody of Monk’s “Well, You
Needn’t,” but he didn’t stop there. Joey’s dad nurtured his gift of swing and
improvisation by taking him to jam sessions with veteran musicians in Bali and
Jakarta.

Joey’s musicianship and grasp of jazz
fundamentals developed at a remarkable pace, and at age eight, UNESCO invited
him to play solo piano for an elated Herbie Hancock during the piano great’s
visit to Indonesia. Joey later remarked to Hancock, “You told me that you
believed in me, and that was the day I decided to dedicate my childhood to
jazz.”

At nine, Joey won the grand prize at the
first Master-Jam Fest, an all-ages competition in Ukraine which included 200
competitors from 17 countries.By 10, he
was performing at jazz festivals in both Jakarta and Copenhagen.An invitation from Wynton Marsalis led to his
U.S. debut appearance at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall in 2014 where he
amazed the audience with his musicality, followed by appearances before the Jazz
Foundation of America at the Apollo and the Arthur Ashe Learning Center at
Gotham Hall.Wishing to encourage the
continued development of Joey’s prodigious playing, his parents sold the family
business in Jakarta and relocated to the United States.Success did not arrive overnight, however.
Promoters were skeptical that an 11 year-old could drive substantial ticket
sales and captivate discerning jazz audiences, but soon recognized his ability
to absolutely delight audiences, despite the challenges associated with
learning a new language. Joey experienced a major stroke of luck when he
received an invitation from impresario George Wein to perform on two stages at
the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival. Joey took full advantage of the
opportunity and brought audiences to their feet with his playful musicality and
keen sense of swing.

Over the past two years Joey has been paying
his dues and honing his craft: learning what it means to be a bandleader,
keeping material fresh after repeated performances, and seeking out sidemen who
are also collaborators. Along the way, The Joey Alexander Trio has performed at
well-known venues and major festivals across the United States and around the
globe, including tour dates in Tel Aviv, Marciac, Montréal, Abu Dhabi,
Singapore, Bern, Prague, Vienna, Perugia, and his native Indonesia.

Media
interest in Joey has resulted in appearances and interviews for The Today Show, 60 Minutes, CNN, The New York Times, and a host of other
television, radio and print media. This has fueled a rare level of public
notoriety for Joey as a jazz musician, entirely unheard of for one his age,
both within the jazz community and among the public at large.

His 2015 debut album for Motema Music, My Favorite Things, garnered two Grammy
Award nominations for “Best Jazz Instrumental Album” and “Best Improvised Solo”
for his performance of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps,” making him the youngest
jazz artist ever nominated for a Grammy.His performances on the 58th Annual Grammy Awards broadcast – far more
magical than what was expected – received standing ovations from the
star-studded audience, bringing his talent to the attention of music lovers
everywhere, mesmerizing long-time industry professionals, and inspiring other
young musicians to pursue their own dreams.

Through all this Joey has remained humble,
focused on developing as a player and pursuing his growing interest in
composing. His highly-anticipated sophomore album Countdown (set for release in September 2016 on Motema Music) showcases
Joey’s remarkable development as a contemporary jazz bandleader and promise as
a composer. He develops fresh takes on well-known tunes, combining them
seamlessly with his own original compositions in a way which engages both new
and seasoned listeners and reflects the true emotional heart and soul of his
musical personality.

Joey says that his growth as a composer is
due to the hours he spends practicing piano in between his school, media and
touring commitments – and his rare moments of free time in which he enjoys
doing “regular kid things” like watching movies, playing games, swimming, and
tennis. “Sometimes, when I’m just practicing or playing something, new melodic
and rhythmic ideas come to me, and I realize that I’m actually starting to
compose a song,” he says. “I think that writing memorable tunes comes from
listening to so much music from composers and artists I like. I actually find
it harder to interpret other people’s songs than to write my own, because I
have to figure out and feel what the song is about and find a way to make it my
own.”

Wynton Marsalis says of Joey, “There has
never been anyone that you can think of who could play like that at his age. I
love everything about his playing – his rhythm, his confidence, his
understanding of the music.”Now, as he
enters his teen years, Joey takes another step in charting his artistic
direction with the release of Countdown.

Building upon the swing and improvisational
style that made his first project a critical and popular success, Countdown is a reflection of the growth
and maturity of Joey Alexander as an artist, and a confident next step toward a
limitless future.